make it cute

notions pouch

I am now selling handmade crochet and knitting project bags in my Etsy shop! I am very excited to finally be making these because they have been in the works for a long time.

Designing these bags has been fun, but also a challenge, because I wanted them to be the ideal bags for knitting or crochet projects in progress. There are so many great bag makers already, all with beautiful and cute fabrics, so I wanted to offer something that was a little more unique and different.

The main feature of these bags is that they close using snaps. This allows your yarn to feed through the top of the bag while it is closed, preventing your yarn from accidentally jumping out or rolling away while you are on the go. The snaps are also great for colourwork because each colour of yarn can come out of a different section on the top, keeping them separate.

I prefer the snaps as a closing method over a zipper because your yarn won’t snag on the zipper teeth. Plus, you can easily fold the top of the bag down and turn it into a yarn bowl, which isn’t as smooth or nice looking with a zipper.

I also prefer snaps over a drawstring closure because the top won’t all cinch in and squish the needles and/or hooks you have inside. Snaps also avoid those long dangling strings you are left with when you close a drawstring bag.

And if you are wondering whether all your little notions and bits and bobs will fall out between the snaps, you don’t have to worry because I added a zippered pocket on the outside of the bag! I chose to have the pocket on the outside for easy access and so yarn won’t snag on the zipper pull.

The bags also have a thick cotton handle that can be used to grab onto when on the go, or hang over your arm if you like to crochet or knit while walking or standing (the snaps also make this super easy!).

One of my favourite parts of making these bags is choosing the fabrics. I use high quality cotton fabrics, both inside and out. Each is lined with a light natural cotton colour so you can easily see what’s inside. For the outside I most often choose cute fabrics, because cute is my thing, but there are also some gorgeous fabrics out there that I can’t wait to use.

At the moment I also have special edition bags made using fabric from an old fabric mill in my local city, Lowell, MA. The fabric is a reproduction of the fabric once made at Boott Cotton Mills until it closed in 1954. The museum at the mills has restored Draper Model E looms from 1913 that are now used to make this fabulous fabric.

I have two sizes for the bags, a small which is great for a 1 skein project (or a tight fit for 2), such as socks, mittens, a hat, or a small shawl or cowl (or amigurumi!). The large bag works well for a 2-3 skein project, such as a shawl, cowl, baby/kids clothes, or mitten and hat sets (or amigurumi!).

If you check out my shop, you will also see there are matching notions pouches! I have two different zippered pouches available, one that is smaller and one that is longer (ideal for needles and hooks). They use the same natural cotton fabric that the bags do so they all go nicely together.

I really hope you enjoy these bags as much as I loved designing and making them. They have been a joy to create and I can’t wait to make more!